Political rap (also political hip hop) is a SubGenre of hip hop music that developed in the 1980s. Inspired by 1970s political preachers such as Music/TheLastPoets and Music/GilScottHeron, Music/GrandmasterFlashAndTheFuriousFive released the first well-known sociopolitical rap song in 1982 called "Music/TheMessage", which inspired numerous rappers to address social and political subjects.

Explicitly political hip hop is related to but distinct from ConsciousHipHop because it refers to artists who have strong and overt political affiliations and agendas, as opposed to the more generalized social commentary typical of conscious hip hop. It can also be used to include political artists of all ideological stripes, whereas the term conscious hip hop generally implies a broadly leftist affiliation or outlook. Interestingly enough political rap has also drawn criticism and controversy just like the gangsta rap sub genre. Usually due to controversial, and polarizing political statements.

Sub-trope of ProtestSong.

-----
!!Notable artists

[[index]]
* Music/TheLastPoets (Not Truly Hip-Hop but extremely influential on the genre.)
* Music/GilScottHeron (Not Truly Hip-Hop but extremely influential on the genre.)
** ''Music/TheRevolutionWillNotBeTelevised (1974)''
* Music/GrandmasterFlashAndTheFuriousFive
** ''Music/TheMessage (1982)''
* Music/PublicEnemy
** ''Music/ItTakesANationOfMillionsToHoldUsBack (1988)''
** ''Music/FearOfABlackPlanet (1990)''
* Music/TheCoup
* Music/{{Flobots}}
* Music/ImmortalTechnique
* Paris
* Music/{{Nas}}
* Music/TupacShakur (especially pre-Death Row era, specifically his first two albums)
** ''Music/TupacalypseNow'' (1991)
** ''Music/Strictly4MyNiggaz'' (1993)
* Music/IceCube' solo material is this mixed with GangstaRap
* Music/KRSOne
* X-Clan
* Da Lench Mob
* Music/RageAgainstTheMachine, while they are also RapMetal
** Perhaps following their example, we have Music/LinkinPark delving into this occasionally
* Music/HedPE
* Music/DeadPrez
* Music/MosDef
* Sage Francis
* Music/LupeFiasco
* Koendalini
* {{Music/Lecrae}}
* Music/TheRoots on their later albums.
* Music/{{Kneecap|Band}}
[[/index]]
----